Saturday, July 30, 2011

Fairfax News has asked the question and Inventory2 has posted on what is the future of this, another of our City's venues.

The Queen Elizabeth 2nd complex, including the athletics and the olympic pool built for the 1974 Commonwealth Games at Burwood was "Munted" as was the artificial turf as HQ for Canterbury Hockey, Porritt Park and the Kerr's Reach Rowing venue. Wilding Park HQ for Tennis at Avonside another casualty and today the rumors are growing that The Grand old Lancaster Park will not survive.

Information on what is now called AMI stadium is sketchy to say the least.VBase a wholly owned subsidiary of The City Council, the operator of the park along with other venues, was wound up recently and the remaining staff under CEO Bryan Pearson were gagged from commenting on a report not yet released but which I understand has been circulated to some interested parties.The Crusaders board are apparently making plans to play home games next super season at Timaru's Frazer Park and Nelson at Trafalgar Park.

The word on the street that the L P complex, insured for around $300 million will cost well in excess of that to reinstate and in the Post RWC era a new stadium similar to the Forsyth Barr in Dunedin at around $200 m would be a more realistic option.In the absence of Facts, rumors are rife, one that surfaced a couple of months ago and gained renewed traction in the current vacuum last week, claims significant problems greater that the visible damage to the three Grandstands. The Hadlee on the Northern end is for demolition and the two main stands, "Deans" to the East and "Paul Kelly" to the West have major foundation failure.Another doing the rounds from a mate close to the Engineering clique in the City has a cavernous void several Meters under the whole complex.

Iv2 in his post alludes to some of the great sporting moments associated with the ground. Three stand out in my mind, Peter Snell's great mile run in the 60s following his Rome triumph, the 1956 Springbok games and at the top of the list for one with Red and Black blood in my veins, the defeat of the All Blacks after their Australian Tour by Canterbury and the Late D B Clarke failing with a sideline kick just meters in front of me that could have saved the ABs.

As in any information vacuum, rumors flourish and if there is a report that gives the Crusaders Franchise the message that they need alternative venues for next year why not make it public as the major influence of what the future holds is more than a little relevant going forward for many who are trying to plan and if that stadium is not going to survive then they need to know that.The land Iv2 alludes to near the Airport that The CHCH airport Company is withholding permission for residential development may well be a good option with good access and several Hotels nearby.

I accept that incomplete information can be unhelpful, as many of those awaiting definitive status on the land under their munted, repairable and in rare cases untouched homes are enduring, but it seems rather frustrating that some information release to affected parties is possible, why not publish it for all.

There does seem to be a lot of needless secrecy and delay. I have been comparing the progress in Japan with what we can glean from the minimal information coming out of Christchurch. Apart from voting themselves big fat salaries to add another unnecessary tier to administration, nothing much seems to be happening. The Japs consider they will be on top of their problems in five years time. I would venture to suggest the scale of their damage exceeds that of Christchurch by a considerable number of magnitudes.

Having let the woodwork teacher and his cohorts get a firm grip on proceedings is revealing their complete incompetence at handling anything of greater significance than parliamentary order papers.

The solution that springs to mind is simple; VTBOIN, (Vote The Buggers Out In November)

@pdm many great moments, my three were personal.Was at both the 1956 test and Canterbury's brave effort when Kevin Stewart, Bobs brother, went off I think twice or was it three times to have his shoulder reset, no replacements, he could barely lift one arm at fultime.Just a poor young father with a family in 1965, so didn't make the park.